Subtleties
by Linen Tartaruga
Summary: To be honest, Roy had been shocked certainly flattered, but inconceivably shocked.


**Title:****Subtleties  
Characters:** Roy, Ed, and Al  
**Summary: **To be honest, Roy had been shocked; certainly flattered, but inconceivably shocked.  
**Disclaimer:** If I owned FullMetal Alchemist then I wouldn't be poor and this wouldn't be fanfic.  
**Rating:** G  
**Warnings:** Eh...nothing really. Happy ending-ness?

* * *

To be honest, Roy had been shocked; certainly flattered, but inconceivably shocked.

This had been the most important thing in the brothers' lives for five years -- the one thing that had kept them going, no matter how many times they'd failed and, no matter the trials they'd endured, it only served to make their bond stronger.

That bond was, quite possibly, the most intense Roy had ever witnessed in two people and it was more than once that he found himself feeling almost an intruder upon a world only inhabited by the two brothers when he was in their presence.

Yet, regardless of this, they had invited him into their world; well, granted he had really forced himself into it at first. But, after that first night, despite all the elder's protests, they still let him in, sometimes. Never into the deeper parts of their lives, no, no one was allowed there but each other, but some things, yes.

So it was understandable that, despite their secretiveness, their determination that no one else become involved in any of the dangers they faced, that they asked him to be there when they finally determined to complete their goal. Roy had stood there, completely…_flabbergasted _by it, and he was sure that it had shown on his face, because Edward had _blushed _(it still fascinated the man, no matter how many times he'd made the boy do it).

Eventually, Roy _had _been able to pull himself together and actually _respond_. Of course he wasn't about to refuse them, not when part of his work had _always _been for the boys, that they might see their goal accomplished. However, he _did_ want to know, "Why?"

"Just in case someone shows up that shouldn't," Ed had explained quickly, an obviously practiced line he'd thought long and hard about, "It'll be better to have someone in the Military there to vouch for us."

_And you're the only one we trust._

That was the unspoken end to that not wholly-falsified statement. But that was alright; all three males knew it was there, even if it was unspoken. It was far more comforting than Roy would have thought, _knowing _that that was why they'd asked him. He'd always had his doubts that he hadn't gone too far with the boys at times. This, however, proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he'd done at least _something_ right by them.

He just hoped they succeeded.

When the time for the transmutation came, Roy found himself once again in the Elrics' hometown. Though, this time, he would be witness to the forbidden human transmutation, instead of merely witnessing the aftereffects. Hopefully this one would end much better for the boys. This was probably another reason he was there: to add an extra boost of Alchemical power, if it was needed.

Hours were spent carefully reanalyzing all of the data and theories and symbols and history. The rest of the day was spent actually drawing the elaborate array necessary for the transmutation.

Roy had never seen the Stone, never even known the brothers had managed to create it, but that question could wait until _after_ the important stuff was over.

An extra boost _had_ been needed and, before Ed even opened his mouth to call to the man, Roy was by his side, one palm pressed to the array, and the other resting over the older boy's hand over the Philosopher's Stone. It took a lot out of both of them and Roy wondered how either he or Ed were still mostly upright. It probably had something to do with the smoke clearing in the center of the room as they waited to see the form in the center of the room.

Both Alchemists held their breath, despite their weakened bodies, the younger's hand squeezing the older's (the Stone's power had been used up and it was gone), though neither would say a word about it.

_Finally_ they were able to see something, a bundle, nowhere near as hulking as the armor had been, and, when they were able to see more clearly, shivering. Neither Ed nor Roy were willing to move though (or maybe they just were too exhausted to), not wanting to jinx it somehow. A blonde head lifted slowly from the ground, eyelids blinking open to reveal wide dark golden eyes.

It wasn't until a timid, uncertain word came in almost a whimper, "Brother…?" voice cracking with five years of disuse but completely devoid of any sort of metallic echo, that Roy finally saw tears stream down Edward's cheeks for the first time in four years.

_-End_


End file.
